The sky above the strange cultivation world remained an unsettling shade of dark blue, though the sun should have already risen. The five of them—Kaixu, Qiyuan, Qingyue, Ruyin, and Ranxi—stood in cautious silence, the air thick with anticipation.
Suddenly, a figure appeared on the distant cliff, walking toward them with calm, deliberate steps.
Ranxi immediately moved in front of Qingyue, his protective instincts kicking in. His amber eyes glinted with warning.
"Who are you?" he demanded, voice steady but edged with tension.
Kaixu, as always, remained seated calmly, his long black hair swaying slightly in the wind, his expression unreadable. Qiyuan's sharp gaze widened slightly in surprise. Even in this tense moment, Kaixu's composure did not waver—a fact that unsettled Qiyuan more than the approaching figure itself.
The figure stopped at a respectful distance, hands folded behind his back. His robes shimmered faintly in the strange light of the world, embroidered with azure patterns of dragons twisting among clouds. His calm, confident voice carried across the clearing.
"I am Mo Lingxuan, the chief of the Dragon Azure Cloud Sect."
Ruyin blinked, her hand covering her mouth in awe.
"So… we really are in a cultivation world…" she whispered, a mixture of excitement and disbelief in her voice.
Kaixu's crimson eyes narrowed, scanning the newcomer carefully.
"Mo Lingxuan… How did you know we were here?" he asked, his tone calm but piercing.
Lingxuan's gaze was steady.
"Before your arrival, there was a brilliant light in the sky—a sign of visitors from another world. I anticipated that someone would come. And here you are."
Kaixu tilted his head slightly, considering.
"So… what exactly do you want from us?"
Lingxuan's expression remained neutral, but his voice carried authority.
"I wish to recruit you into my sect."
Qiyuan's eyes lit up. Opportunity.
"Could this… really be our chance?"
Lingxuan's gaze flicked briefly to Kaixu, unshakable.
"You may all join… except for the one named Zhen Kaixu. I sense that he has no innate talent for cultivation."
Kaixu froze slightly, incredulity flashing in his eyes.
"Huh?!"
"Normally," Lingxuan continued, voice even, "only four visitors from another world arrive at a time. But now there are five. That means you, Kaixu, were dragged here by fate—unintentionally. You do not belong among them."
Kaixu's calm mask remained, but his mind raced.
"So… I shouldn't be here? Then what do you intend to do with me?"
Lingxuan's lips curved into a faint, detached smile.
"We will leave you here. Perhaps a spiritual beast will consume you… or someone else will come to save you. Good luck."
Kaixu's eyes flickered, red pupils sharpening. Impossible, he thought.This is exactly like the novel I read. No matter how strong Lingxuan thinks he is… I will defeat him if he dares challenge me.
Qingyue stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly but resolute.
"I will stay with Kaixu. You leave me out of this!"
Ranxi's face darkened, stepping closer to her.
"Oi! Qingyue, don't concern yourself with someone who has no talent!"
Lingxuan's calm voice carried, almost mocking.
"Exactly. He is useless. Worthless."
Kaixu's mind sharpened. This is the same as in the novel I read. He weighed the situation carefully, aware of every possibility.It doesn't matter how strong Lingxuan is. I will survive. I will adapt. And I will rise above this world.
Qingyue, her chest tightening with determination, shook her head.
"No. I will stay with him… because I want to."
Qiyuan's eyes widened slightly, doubt creeping into his voice.
"Qingyue… you're not—"
Qingyue's face turned scarlet, cutting him off.
"Ah! I didn't mean it like that!"
Kaixu rose slowly from his seated position, his long black hair flowing in the wind. Every movement was deliberate, calm, and unnervingly confident.
"Very well. If this is what happens to me… I will accept it."
Lingxuan's expression remained unchanged.
"Good. Then farewell."
Qingyue screamed, a sharp cry that echoed across the cliffs.
"NO!!"
With a subtle gesture, Lingxuan's hand pressed forward, and a faint surge of energy rippled through the air. Qingyue's vision blurred, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
Ranxi reacted instantly, catching her as she fell.
"Qingyue!!" he shouted, eyes blazing.
Qiyuan's expression hardened.
"I will become stronger. I will save you… Kaixu."
Kaixu's eyes met his friend's briefly, crimson pupils calm yet resolute.
"Yes," he said simply. "Do as you must."
The wind swept across the cliffs, carrying the faint scent of spiritual energy.Five young people from a mundane world now faced a reality of danger, power, and destiny beyond comprehension.And at the center, Zhen Kaixu remained unshaken—his mind already calculating, already planning, already accepting that the world had shifted, and only his resolve could define his path.
The wind carried the scent of pine and stone as Kaixu followed Luo Haoyu through the forest. Every step brought a mixture of anticipation and curiosity. The path was uneven, winding around cliffs and rivers of spiritual energy that glimmered faintly under the morning sun.
"Master," Kaixu finally asked, his crimson eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Where… is your home?"
Haoyu walked silently for a few steps, then suddenly stopped in front of a massive boulder, moss-covered and unremarkable. With a swift motion, he raised a hand and shattered the stone with a single strike. Cracks radiated outward, and the boulder split open, revealing a hidden entrance carved into the mountainside.
Kaixu blinked in surprise.
"I… didn't know you would hide your home inside a stone," he muttered, voice edged with awe.
Haoyu chuckled softly, the sound carrying through the forest.
"Haha. This is not merely my home—it is also a test. And the training continues."
Kaixu's brow furrowed, both in determination and curiosity.
"Now?"
Haoyu's eyes gleamed with a serious intensity.
"Yes. You must first strengthen your body. Without a solid foundation, cultivation will be impossible."
Kaixu nodded, feeling the weight of the moment.
"Very well. What is the training, Master?"
Haoyu's hand moved to a simple cloth bag that lay on the stone floor.
"Take this bag and fill it with stones until it weighs twenty kilograms. Only then can we begin your physical conditioning."
Kaixu's crimson eyes narrowed with resolve.
"Understood," he replied, bending down to gather stones, feeling the cold, rough edges press into his hands.
After several minutes, the bag was filled, heavy and cumbersome. Haoyu motioned to Kaixu to wear it on his back. As Kaixu hoisted it, the weight pressed down with merciless force. His legs trembled, barely able to support the load.
"Your stamina is insufficient," Haoyu said calmly. "You will descend the mountain and climb back up twenty times. Only then will your body be prepared for cultivation."
Kaixu's jaw tightened, a bead of sweat forming at his temple.
"Twenty times…? Master, isn't this too much?"
Haoyu's gaze was unwavering, firm but not cruel.
"This is the training I designed for myself when I was your age. Strength is forged through struggle. If you wish to become strong, you must endure what others cannot."
Kaixu's heart surged with a mixture of respect and determination. Haoyu's words touched something deep within him.
"Very well, Master. I will become stronger than anyone else."
The first descent was torturous. Stones dug into his shoulders, legs trembling beneath the crushing weight of the bag. Every step on the jagged path forced him to focus on balance and control. His calves burned, thighs ached, but he forced himself onward.
Several times, Kaixu stumbled, falling against rocks and rough earth. Each fall sent sharp pains through his body, scratches and bruises forming along his arms and legs. But he never let his spirit break.
I cannot fail, he thought, gritting his teeth. I will endure every fall, every wound, every breath… I will grow stronger.
The second ascent proved even harder. His lungs burned, each breath shallow and ragged. Sweat ran freely down his back, soaking into the heavy cloth of the bag. Stones shifted with every step, threatening to unbalance him. He bit his lip, pushing forward, step by step, refusing to yield.
By the fifth round, Kaixu's movements became slower, more calculated. Pain had become a familiar companion, but he adjusted, using the strain to refine his posture, his steps, and his endurance. Haoyu watched silently from above, eyes calculating, assessing, and occasionally nodding in approval.
"Not bad," Haoyu said quietly after the tenth round. "Your body adapts faster than I expected."
Kaixu allowed himself a brief nod, but no rest.
No rest. Every step is progress.
The sky shifted as the sun climbed higher, shadows stretching and contracting across the forest. Kaixu's muscles screamed in protest, but his resolve only hardened. Every fall became a lesson in control, every stumble a reminder of his determination.
By the fifteenth round, blood stained his palms where the stones had rubbed raw. His legs quivered violently, each step a battle against gravity itself. Yet Kaixu's crimson eyes burned brighter than ever, reflecting the sky above and the challenge before him.
Haoyu's voice broke the silence, calm and steady as always.
"Your mind must remain as sharp as your body. Pain is temporary. Weakness is a choice. Endure both."
Kaixu clenched his fists, sweat and blood mixing as he pushed forward. The world became a blur of rock, stone, and forest. Every fiber of his being screamed for rest, yet his mind remained razor-focused on the goal: endure, survive, and grow stronger.
Finally, as the twentieth ascent neared its end, Kaixu collapsed to his knees at the summit, body trembling violently, lungs burning, every muscle screaming in agony. But within him, a fierce pride bloomed. He had endured. He had survived.
Haoyu approached, silent yet commanding, his gaze assessing Kaixu from head to toe.
"You have survived your first trial. But this… is only the beginning. You will learn to endure far greater trials. Your body must be unbreakable, your spirit invincible."
Kaixu looked up at his master, crimson eyes glinting with determination and respect.
"Yes, Master. I will endure everything. I will become stronger than anyone in this world."
Haoyu's lips curved into a faint smile, the first real warmth in his stoic demeanor.
"Good. My disciple, your journey has truly begun. You will train your body until it becomes an instrument capable of channeling the greatest spiritual energy. And only then… will cultivation become possible."
Kaixu rose slowly, muscles burning but spirit ablaze. The heavy bag now felt lighter, as though the pain had sharpened his body rather than broken it. Every scar, every wound, every bead of sweat was a lesson etched into his flesh and mind.
The forest stretched endlessly before them, a world brimming with danger, spiritual beasts, and mysteries yet to be revealed. And in the center of it all, Zhen Kaixu walked beside Luo Haoyu, ready to face every trial with unwavering resolve.
No matter the pain… no matter the struggle… I will rise. Kaixu's crimson eyes burned with the promise of a future shaped by his own will.
The first steps of a legend had begun.